S900 Special Postal Services

S910 Security and Accountability

S913Insured Mail

Summary

S913 describes insured mail, what matter is eligible and
ineligible for insurance, and the procedures to follow for mailing insured
mail. It also covers the requirements to mail at the bulk insured service
rates.

1.0Basic Information

1.1Description

Retail insured mail provides up to $5,000 indemnity coverage
for a lost, rifled, or damaged article, subject to the standards for
the service and payment of the applicable fee. A bulk insurance discount
is available for insured articles entered by authorized mailers who
meet the criteria in 3.0. No record of insured mail is kept at the
office of mailing. Insured mail service provides the sender with a mailing
receipt. For mail insured for more than $50, a delivery record is maintained
by the Postal Service. Insured mail is dispatched and handled in transit
as ordinary mail.

1.2Eligible Matter

The following types of mail matter may be insured:

a. Package Services.

b. First-Class Mail (including Priority Mail), if it
contains matter that may be mailed as Package Services.

1.3Ineligible Matter

The following types of mail may not be insured:

a. Parcels containing matter offered for sale, addressed
to prospective purchasers who have not ordered or authorized their sending.
If such matter is mailed, payment is not made for loss, rifling, or
damage.

b. Nonmailable matter.

c. Articles so fragile that they cannot be carried safely
in the mail regardless of packaging.

d. Articles not adequately prepared to withstand normal
handling in the mail. As a rule, any mailable package should be insurable.

e. Mail not bearing the complete names and addresses
of the sender and addressee.

f. Standard Mail pieces that are not subject to the
residual shape surcharge.

g. Matter mailed at First-Class Mail rates (including
Priority Mail) that consists of items described in E110 as required to be mailed at the First-Class
rates.

1.4Fee and Postage

The applicable insurance fee must be prepaid in addition
to the postage, except on official mail sent under applicable provisions.
The mailer guarantees to pay return and forwarding postage, unless the
mailer writes instructions on the wrapper or envelope not to forward
or return the mail.

1.5Additional Services

Insuring an item for more than $50 allows customers to
then purchase restricted delivery service or a return receipt. The following
additional services may be combined with insurance if the applicable
standards for the services are met and the additional service fees are
paid:

a. Delivery Confirmation.

b. Parcel airlift service (PAL).

c. Return receipt for merchandise (for items insured
for up to $50).

d. Signature Confirmation.

e. Special handling.

1.6Delivery Record

2.0Mailing

2.1Where to Mail

A mailer must mail insured mail at a post office, branch,
or station or give the mail to a rural carrier. Such mail may be placed
in, but not on, a rural mailbox. Such mail must not be placed in a post
office maildrop or in or on a street letterbox. A mailer may leave the
mail in a rural box with a note showing the requested amount of insurance,
if stamps are affixed for postage and fees or money for postage and
fees is left in the box. The USPS is not liable for any article or money
left in a rural box until the carrier receipts the article. A mailer
at a nonpersonnel rural unit must meet the rural carrier at the unit
for insurance service.

2.2USPS Inquiries

2.3Markings and Use of Form 3813-P

The treatment of parcels is determined by the insurance
amount:

a. Insured for $50 or less: Each parcel must be stamped
on the address side with an elliptical insured marking as shown in Exhibit 2.3. This marking must be placed above
the delivery address and to the right of the return address.

b. Insured for more than $50: Each parcel must have
barcoded Form 3813-P (see Exhibit 2.3) affixed above the delivery address
and to the right of the return address. Form 3813-P must not be used
for parcels insured for $50 or less.

c. All insured parcels, regardless of insurance amount,
must be postmarked unless a postage meter stamp or permit imprint is
used to pay postage.

Exhibit 2.3Insurance Marking and Form
3813-P

2.4Privately Printed Form 3813-P

If authorized, a mailer may use a privately printed Form
3813-Pfor domestic mail only. The privately printed form must
be nearly identical in design and color to the USPS form with a barcode
and human readable numbers that meet the USPS specifications in Publication
109. A minimum of three preproduction samples must be submitted to the
business mail entry manager serving the mailers location for review
by the mailpiece design analyst. Once approved, the mailer must print
sample labels with barcodes to be certified under the technical requirements
in Publication 109.

2.5Integrated Barcodes

There are other options available for mailers who print
their own labels:

a. An integrated barcode may be used by Confirmation
Services electronic option mailers who wish to combine insurance with
Delivery Confirmation or insurance with Signature Confirmation into
a single barcode on the shipping label to eliminate multiple labels
and barcodes on packages. Additional information on the integrated barcode
solution can be found in Publication 91, Confirmation Services Technical
Guide.

b. Mailers have a third option for privately printed
labels with insurance (see Exhibit 2.5). The privately printed label
must meet the specifications described in Publication 91. Applicable
certification procedures must be followed, also as specified in Publication
91.

Exhibit 2.5Mailer-Printed Label with Integrated
Barcode

2.6Prohibited Markings

Private insurance endorsements or markings may not appear
on the address side of mail but may appear elsewhere, if they do not
resemble official postal endorsements and are not confused with postal
endorsements.

2.7Receipt

For each insured parcel mailed, the mailer receives the
appropriate receipt:

a. Form 3813 when the insurance value is $50 or less.

b. Form 3813-P when the insurance value is more than
$50.

2.8USPS Records

The USPS keeps no mailing records for insured parcels.
The mailer must write the addressees name and address on the receipt
and keep it. The mailer must show the receipt when making a claim for
loss or filing an inquiry.

2.9Firm Sheet

If three or more insured articles are presented for mailing
at one time, the mailer may use Form 3877 (firm sheet) or privately
printed firm mailing bills. Privately printed or computer-generated
firm sheets that contain the same information as Form 3877 may be approved
by the local postmaster. The mailer may omit columns from Form 3877
that are not applicable to insured mail. The mailer must present the
books with the articles to be mailed at a post office. The sheets become
the mailers receipts. All entries made on firm sheets must be
made by typewriter, ink, or ballpoint pen. Alterations must be initialed
by the mailer and accepting employee. All unused portions of the addressee
column must be obliterated with a diagonal line.

3.0Additional RequirementsBulk
Insurance

3.1Eligibility

To mail at the bulk insured service rates, mailers must
obtain an authorization under 3.2 and must meet the following criteria:

a. Enter mailings of insured articles under an approved
manifest mailing system agreement.

b. Mail a minimum of 10,000 insured articles annually.
To meet the minimum volume requirement, mailers may total all insured
articles mailed at multiple locations.

c. Provide a hard copy of Form 3877 or facsimile and
a copy of Form 3877 on a disk or other electronic medium.

d. Effective at a future date, provide a soft (electronic)
copy of Form 3877 in a new, approved format.

3.2Authorization

Mailers must apply for authorization to mail at the bulk
insured service rates through their local postmaster or designee by
completing the customer portion of the Bulk Insured Service (BIS) verification
form. The postmaster or designee will verify on this form that the mailer
meets the requirements in 3.1. If the mailer does not meet the requirements,
the application will be denied. If the mailer meets the requirements
in 3.1, the postmaster or designee will certify on
the Bulk Insured Service (BIS) verification form that the mailer qualifies
and forward the form to the manager of Claims Processing at the St.
Louis Accounting Service Center (ASC). After reviewing the information,
St. Louis will notify the postmaster of their concurrence of the application
and provide a range of claim numbers to be used by the mailer for filing
claims. The postmaster or designee will then provide the customer with
the approval of the application and with information needed to file
claims, including the assigned claim numbers. At a future date, electronic
filing of indemnity claims will become mandatory. Prior to mandatory
electronic claims filing, customers will be provided with the format
instructions for the new electronic (soft copy) of Form 3877 and instructions
for electronic filing of indemnity claims.

4.0Delivery

An item insured for $50 or less is delivered as ordinary
mail. Delivery of insured mail is subject to D042.